Cliffjumping - Jump Out, Not Up

There are some extreme sports that just won't let you skip any steps in the learning process - cliffjumping is one of these pursuits. There is no A to Z, so if you are the impatient type who cares nothing for the journey and only the destination you should excuse yourself from this topic. To do otherwise would endanger your life. Convinced? Great, then let's proceed. There is absolutely nothing more heart pumping, exhilarating, thrilling, addicting and frightening than jumping off of a cliff!

The first list for cliffjumping is the "Thou shalt not" list. Never jump into water that you have not first checked yourself for safety. Even if it is listed on fave sites, the Earth is changing all the time. Never go alone on a jump, for obvious reasons. Leave the alcohol at home, again for obvious reasons. Do not jump in a life vest because it can cause injury on impact. Throw it down to the side in the water ahead of your jump. And on the topic of shod or shoeless jumps - there are arguments and valid points on both sides. You have to decide this one for yourself.

For the actual cliffjumping you only need your clothes. If you have to day hike in you will need water (lots of it), a change of shoes, food and maps as basic supplies. If you camp, be sure to leave no footprint. Take out everything you pack in. Just as important as the supplies is the information you need to gather before stepping foot on the cliff. The most obvious of these are the height of the cliff and the depth of the water followed by the nature of the actual jump spot. That is, will you have to do any hazardous climbing to reach the intended platform and will you have to jump out over rocks to reach the water? What is the distance to shore from your landing spot? If you need assistance, how far away is help?

There are 36 states in the US with popularly rated jump sites and 39 worldwide that have been detailed and documented by experienced cliff jumpers. This information is invaluable in leading you to viable jumps. Again though, it does not replace thoroughness on your part when you arrive. If the cliffjumping you are planning is only 15 feet in height you will be traveling at 21 mph when you hit the water. You do not want to find a rock underneath at that speed. The world's record for the highest cliff dive stands at 172 feet - over 60 miles per hour!

The entire experience of cliffjumping from the actual jump itself to the surroundings of mountain or coastal beauty is a magical pursuit. If you are a beginner it will take dozens of jumps to learn the basics and dozens more to learn what cannot be seen - safety factors and reading the lay of the land and water. If you are careful, cautious and respectful of others and the environment the extreme sport of cliff jumping is sure to be one of your favorite pastimes.